Bolton latest Premier League club to be hit by swine flu

27 October 2009 10:56
Bolton are the latest Premier League club to hoist the yellow jack after four players and a member of the backroom staff became infected with swine flu. [LNB]And while the other top-flight clubs stressed on Tuesday they had adopted stringent precautions to prevent the virus from catching among their own staff, Bolton manager Gary Megson warned that it would be 'near enough impossible' to prevent it from spreading in football. [LNB]Gareth Southgate to keep fighting as Middlesbrough pushed to brinkHull City 1 Bolton Wanderers 0: match reportSwine flu: British government draws up contingency plansAs it stands only Bolton and Blackburn have been affected, but the outbreak at the Reebok Stadium places fresh pressure on the Premier League to reconsider its approach to dealing with the virus. [LNB]The pressure on the League has increased in the wake of Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce's criticism that his side's match with Chelsea was made to take place even though three of his players and two staff members had been diagnosed with the virus. What Chelsea make of this is another matter. Having been exposed to one infected side, they must now play Bolton in the fourth round of the Carling Cup on Wednesday evening. [LNB]There is no chance of the fixture being put back to another date, as happened in France when staff at Paris Saint-Germain became infected, as the League has insisted that it 'does not anticipate, at this stage, any circumstances under which a match could be justifiably postponed'. [LNB]The Health Protection Agency has added to the worry, warning that spitting regrettably a common sight on a football field increases the risk of the virus spreading among players. Megson, who will be relieved to have Johan Elmander back in contention at Stamford Bridge, has done nothing to soothe anxiety. [LNB]'You're not going to be a business with quite a few employees and have it totally escape you,' he said. [LNB]'You are going to get one or two with swine flu. You try and do your best to avoid it, but I would imagine it's near enough impossible.' [LNB]The majority of the other Premier League clubs have taken additional precautions in line with guidelines issued by medical experts, such as handing out anti-bacterial hand gel and swine flu information. Only Burnley said that it was 'business as usual'. [LNB]Bolton manager Megson - who has already seen four of his own players come down with, and recover from, the virus - insisted he was not concerned about it spreading during a match. [LNB]Asked if he was worried about his players coming into contact with Chelsea's, Megson said: "Not from that perspective because I've heard varying opinions and I think the one we all need to listen to is that from the medical people, who are saying that it is very difficult, if not impossible, to contract it in that way. [LNB]"You are going to get one or two with swine flu and I think on the playing staff I think we have had five, four players and one member of staff. You try and do your best to avoid it but I would imagine it's near enough impossible. [LNB]"They are all okay at the moment, but it wouldn't be right to start giving you names." [LNB]

Source: Telegraph